Viewpoint: We must reform immigration policies

Published 12:00 am, Thursday, July 8, 2010

The Obama Administration's recent decision to send a second drone aircraft to patrol the Texas-Mexico border was a small yet welcome step.

The federal government has an obligation to protect our borders, and Texans who live there deserve to feel secure in their schools, businesses and homes.

But make no mistake. A sky full of drones and the presence of military troops and chain-link fences could never adequately substitute for fair, comprehensive immigration reform.

Meaningful reform is necessary for the long-term economic needs and political stability of both the United States and Mexico, but it cannot come without compromise, understanding and a willingness by Democrats and Republicans to move forward.

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Last week, President Barack Obama urged members of Congress to put their partisan differences aside and take up immigration reform. That is another positive step, but too often in Washington, particularly on this issue, talk doesn't translate into action.

Yet almost daily the news headlines point to the need for an immigration policy that provides security, common sense and compassion.

The fear that drug cartel violence in Mexico could spill into Texas is legitimate, and the illegal human trafficking that is rampant along the border threatens public safety, undermines the rule of law and imposes an unfair burden on local governments.

A common-sense policy would also recognize that the vast majority of unauthorized immigrants want little more than to provide for their families, and there should be a secure, orderly process for them to live and work in the United States.

It would also create a path to citizenship for people like Eric Balderas, who was brought to Texas by his family when he was a small child.

Immigration officials have rightly deferred his case, but the final outcome is still in question because we don't have a policy that acknowledges his value or recognizes the great potential he could bring to his community.

The public outcry sparked by Balderas' case and Arizona's tough new immigration law should serve as a wakeup call to President Obama and Congress that comprehensive immigration reform should be at the top the national agenda.

Conventional wisdom says that such a controversial issue cannot be addressed in an election year, but that just acknowledges a lack of political courage. We cannot even hope that a reform measure would pass unless both sides are willing to compromise, no matter the proximity to the next election.

In a first step toward compromise, we should all be able to agree that the United States has a right to protect its borders, and that business and industry have a duty to respect immigration law.

We should also make a distinction between those responsible for the cartel violence along the border and those who are merely seeking a living wage. Those who spread violence and drugs deserve the full measure of the law. Those who bring only humility and the desire to work should be afforded that opportunity.

And we should also agree that the formation, implementation and enforcement of immigration policy are federal responsibilities. Arizona's controversial immigration law is misguided, but it was born out of a legitimate frustration with federal inaction and ineffectiveness.

That is why Congress must roll up its sleeves and get to work on a fair and workable immigration policy that secures our borders and respects human rights while addressing the needs of migrant workers as well as the business interests, wage earners and consumers in the United States.

If we work together in compromise and cooperation, immigration reform can be accomplished for the good of our nation. Election year or not, there is no time like the present.